Closing Bell: Russian Stocks Rise on Easing Sanctions; U.S. Stocks Struggle for Direction

A flood of news out of Washington kept Wall Street on edge and struggling for direction for much of the day on Thursday. House Speaker Paul Ryan added to nerves after putting health care as a top priority above tax reform. Russian stocks rose after the Treasury Department relaxed sanctions on Russia's intelligence agency. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the move was a "regular course of action." Sanctions have been in place since April 2015. Estee Lauder (EL) - Get Report anticipated below-consensus earnings for the full year. The cosmetics company said social and political issues, terrorism and currency exchange have negatively impacted consumer behavior in some regions. Nokia (NOK) - Get Report climbed after beating profit expectations in its recent quarter. A better bottom-line was tied to its newly acquired Alcatel-Lucent and a series of cost cuts.